1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of stabilizing traumatized teeth and more particularly to a system and method for reimplanting and stabilizing avulsed teeth using a dental splint that removably engages the dental arcade from where the tooth was avulsed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tooth avulsion occurs when an entire tooth is forcefully dislodged from its socket. This type of traumatic injury is quite common, especially among children. While it is possible to save an avulsed tooth, a rapid response with proper procedures and tooth care is crucial. If the periodontal membrane of an avulsed tooth has not been substantially damaged, and if the cells are still alive, the tooth can many times be successfully reimplanted in the socket. Several days must pass before the tooth can have a chance to naturally reaffix to the socket. Accordingly, several attempts at providing systems for stabilizing the traumatized tooth have been developed. However, these attempts have provided mixed results and require procedures that are not easily implemented by emergency medical personnel within the narrow opportunity for reimplanting the tooth.
One prior art dental splint is disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,957. That particular device teaches the attachment of a plurality of separate plates to the labial surfaces of the crown portions of the traumatized tooth and the teeth on either side thereof. Each of the plates are provided with outwardly extending T-shaped lugs that are imbedded into an arched bar or wire, which secures the separate plates and the adjacent teeth to one another. Ligature wires are used to couple the plates to the individual teeth. Wire must be passed around each tooth and then twisted closed into a secure position. This prior art system is too complex and cumbersome for most emergency medical personnel to implement in the field or in an emergency room setting. Moreover, the system depends upon well-anchored adjacent teeth and does not easily lend itself to a situation where a plurality of teeth from a single location of the dental arcade are avulsed at once. Moreover, such a system may anchor a single avulsed tooth in a manner that prohibits even the slightest movement with respect to the socket and adjoining teeth. Unfortunately, minor amounts of movement can be important for promoting the healing process, favoring ligament growth and inhibiting bone tissue development adjacent the root.
A slightly improved but similar system is taught within U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,202. The system is comprised of a plurality of individual rings that are cemented to the crown of the avulsed tooth and the adjacent teeth. Elongated connecting bars are secured to the individual rings, locking the adjoined teeth to one another in a stable position. While this system is less labor intensive than previous systems, it still suffers from the shortcomings experienced previously, such as over-immobilization of the teeth, and providing an undesirable level of technical involvement between emergency medical personnel and the avulsed teeth.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for reimplanting avulsed teeth that may be quickly and easily used by emergency medial personnel without complex and laborious custom fitting procedures. However, such a system and method should adequately stabilize the avulsed teeth, without over-immobilization of the same.